Good Eats

I've been watching Good Eats for several years now, and I believe it to be the most informative and easy to watch of all those available. (I find myself without any patience for Emeril Legasse's childish, self-serving antics, and if I never hear "Bam" again, it'll be too soon.)

Alton Brown manages to impart more information in half an hour than most other shows can get to in an hour. The secret to this show is the focus on individual aspects of cooking and the science behind them. While some of the episodes use contrived devices (such as location shots with goofy characters), Brown uses humor to explain the physics behind cooking's rules, as well as to dispel many of the myths perpetrated by the culinary snobs in the chef/restaurant world. For instance, Brown demystifies the simple souffle in one episode while setting up the base information needed to move on to more complex souffles.

I have been quite accomplished in the kitchen for many years, and have not been intimidated by any dish for quite some time. Many years ago I came across a copy of the textbook for the Culinary Institute of America and read it cover to cover. While highly informative, the book doesn't bother to explain in anywhere near Brown's detail as to why certain things are necessary, unnecessary, optional, or just plain silly. As much as I thought I knew already, Brown never fails to add to my repertoire and my understanding with his simple explanations of the physics behind cooking, and the processes that are behind the techniques.

This show is awesome. I love the way Alton Brown gives the science behind why a dish is made. This show is always entertaining even if he's making some I would never eat. I really enjoy his desserts, plus you can get every recipe from the Food Network's web site.

Alton Brown proves you don't need a good attitude for good grub; I love the cynical undercurrent. He shows us how to cook simply rather than demonstrating eight hundred varying ways of boiling an egg. He keeps it low key and educational as he explores the origins of a food. This show gets on most people's nerves, which is probably why I can stand it. Two of the best episodes focus on steak and another on pasta. As far as I'm concerned, these are the most difficult foods to prepare because of the myths behind them. I was amazed to learn all the names to the different kinds of pasta noodles, but rather than confusing me, I felt more educated.

Mixing humor, common sense, science and food is a winning recipe for Alton Brown's "Good Eats" series. I'm always amused by his quirky way of approaching food topics, and I walk away from every episode a little bit smarter - never a bad thing! The shows are set up more like a cross between a sitcom and an episode of Sesame Street, if you can imagine that, which is appealing to anyone who thinks the average cooking show is a little bit "stale". A great show for beginner cooks, since everything is explained thoroughly and logically, so you don't just learn what ingredients go into a dish; you also learn why the ingredients work together and what they contribute to the recipe. This show is definitely one of my favorites; I highly recommend it to everyone.

A couple of months ago, I was trying to get back into the habit of cooking, and a friend recommended that I try watching two shows on the "Food Network" to keep up my motivation and interest. The first recommendation was Rachel Ray's "30 Minute Meals". The second was Alton Brown's "Good Eats". "You'll like Alton Brown", said my friend. "He's smarter than hell AND he's a born wise-*ss, just like you."

And this was indeed the case. I like Ray's show (she has a knack for accessible recipes and a very appealing screen presence), but Brown is simply fun to watch. Brown focuses on common, ordinary dishes that no one seems to respect anymore: eggplant, meatballs, ice cream, peas, pilaf, yellow cake, yogurt, etc. And he shows the viewer how to prepare them right, so instead of dull, flavorless, uninspired filler, you get..."GOOD EATS".

An aside: Part of my problem with the "Food Network" is that large portions of its programming (subvertly) and advertisements (overtly) are essentially public relations releases for processed and convenience foods manufacturers on one hand, and overpriced exotica on the other. The viewer is continually encouraged to explore expensive, exotic "fine" cuisine and taste sensations...while at the same time told not to bother actually putting any effort into the everyday items he/she actually eats on a daily basis...just rip open the package, stick it in the microwave, and "pretend" that it is real food. But Brown is one of the few cooking show writers who maintains a skeptical, even cynical attitude towards the "common wisdom" of the Food Network "world view". The viewer gets a real sense of being taken aside and given the inside scoop on how things REALLY work...and how to get the best out of every day meals with just a little bit of extra effort and a layman's understanding of the finer properties and subtleties of the "stuff" he's preparing. This is a very empowering and encouraging approach to learning how both to cook, and how to get the most bang for the cooking buck.

The other thing that distinguishes "Good Eats" is the combination off- hand humor and careful production work that keeps things from being overly pedantic or boring. Every show has a 'story' that incorporates the food, and the show is always visually interesting. The camera hops all over the place (half of the shots seem to be from inside the oven range,looking out from the food's POV). And the show's writers inject location shots, pop culture lampoons, and variety show skits and performances into each episode. The viewer can be assured that even if he/she doesn't really care about the dish Alton is discussing at the moment, within a few seconds there will a snotty 'insider' remark, or a self-deprecating joke, or a "walk-on" by a food anthropologist, or a pratfall, or SOMETHING to keep things light and amusing. The show seems casual and loose, but it's really incredibly tight and slick. That's a good trick to pull off, and Brown and his crew make it seem easy and effortless.

So, "Good Eats" is a good show, one I will try to catch whenever it's on and I am at home. Accessible, informative, entertaining, and even somewhat subversive in its message against the mindless consumerism of the typical "fine living" show...I am very pleased to have discovered it, and highly recommend it to anyone interested in real food in a real life. (And "30 Minute Meals" is a close second.)